Montana LLC cost at a glance
| Cost | Montana amount |
|---|---|
| Cost to form | $35 |
| Annual report | $0 if filed by 15 April, $35 after |
| When it is due | 1 January to 15 April, starting the year after formation |
| State tax on the LLC | No franchise tax or minimum tax |
| First-year state fees (minimum) | $35 |
| Yearly state fees after that (minimum) | $0 |
| Registered agent | Required. Free if you act as your own; commercial services charge a yearly fee |
| EIN from the IRS | $0 |
Fees verified October 2026 against the Montana Secretary of State and other official Montana sources listed at the end of this page.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Montana?
The Montana Secretary of State charges $35 to file Articles of Organization, the lowest LLC formation fee in the country. Filing is online through the Secretary of State’s business filing portal. A series LLC pays $50 more for each series it names.
Priority handling costs $20 for 24-hour service or $100 for 1-hour service. A name reservation costs $10.
Our walkthrough on how to file articles of organization in Montana covers the form field by field.
How much does a Montana LLC cost every year?
Every Montana LLC files an annual report between 1 January and 15 April, starting the year after it was formed. The Secretary of State’s fee schedule lists the report fee as waived when the report is filed by 15 April, so an on-time report costs nothing.
A report filed after 15 April costs $35. That makes the deadline the biggest factor in what a Montana LLC costs to keep: filed on time, the report is free, and one day late it costs as much as forming the LLC did.
The waiver is set by the Secretary of State’s current fee schedule. Check the schedule before you file each year.
What does a Montana LLC cost over the first three years?
The table below adds up the state fees a Montana LLC pays in its first three years, using the minimum amounts Montana charges. The second column adds the BusinessAnywhere registered agent service, which is free for the first year and $147 a year after that.
| Year | State fees only | With a registered agent service |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $35 | $35 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $147 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $147 |
| Three-year total | $35 | $329 |
Does Montana charge a franchise tax or income tax on LLCs?
Montana charges no franchise tax and no minimum tax on LLCs. Profit from an LLC taxed as a partnership or a disregarded entity passes to the members, who report it on their Montana individual income tax returns.
How much does a registered agent cost in Montana?
Every Montana LLC must name a registered agent with a physical street address in Montana. Acting as your own agent costs nothing, but your address goes on the public record and you must be available at that address during business hours. Commercial registered agent services charge a yearly fee for the same role.
The BusinessAnywhere registered agent service is free for the first year and $147 a year after that, with every document scanned to your online dashboard the day it arrives.
Our Montana registered agent guide explains the state rules in full.
If you are weighing the free option, read can I be my own registered agent first.
Does a Montana LLC need an EIN, and what does it cost?
An EIN costs nothing when you apply directly with the IRS. A Montana LLC needs one to hire employees, to open a business bank account and whenever it has more than one member. US residents with an SSN or ITIN apply through the IRS online EIN application and receive the number at the end of the session.
Founders outside the United States cannot use the online tool. They apply by phone, fax or post with IRS Form SS-4, and do not need an SSN to do it. The BusinessAnywhere EIN application service handles that process for $97. Our guide on how to obtain an EIN for your LLC covers both routes.
What other Montana LLC fees should you budget for?
These fees apply only when you need the service. They are the Montana state charges as of October 2026.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name reservation | $10 | Name reservation fee per SOS fee sheet |
| Expedited filing | $20 (24 hour) or $100 (1 hour) | Priority processing fees added to the filing fee |
| Certificate of good standing | $5 | Certificate of Existence |
| Certified copy | $10 | Certified copy request |
| Amending the articles | $15 | Articles of Amendment; restated articles also $15 |
| DBA (assumed or trade name) | $20 | Registration of Assumed Business Name with the SOS |
| Changing registered agent | $0 | Statement of Change of registered office/agent: no fee |
| Foreign LLC registration | $70 | Certificate of Authority, plus $50 per series named in a series LLC |
| Reinstatement after dissolution | $35 plus $35 per delinquent year | Reinstatement fee plus $35 for each year of delinquent annual reports |
An operating agreement carries no state fee in Montana, and Montana does not collect it, but every LLC should have one to set out ownership and decision rights. BusinessAnywhere sells an operating agreement template for $97.
What happens if you miss a Montana LLC deadline?
A late Montana annual report costs $35 instead of $0. An LLC that has failed to file its annual report for 140 days can be involuntarily dissolved by the Secretary of State (MCA 35-8-209).
Reinstatement costs $35 plus $35 for each year of delinquent reports. An LLC that missed two years pays $105 to return, three times the cost of forming it.
If you intend to close the business, file formally instead of letting it lapse. Our guide on how to dissolve an LLC in Montana sets out the steps.
How does Montana compare with other states?
Montana is the cheapest state in the country to form an LLC and one of the cheapest to keep. Its $35 fee is about a third of the $100 national median, and an on-time annual report costs nothing.
| State | Formation fee | Yearly state fees (minimum) | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | $35 | $0 | Cheapest formation fee; free annual report if filed by 15 April |
| Wyoming LLC cost | $100 | $60 | $60 minimum license tax, no income tax |
| North Dakota LLC cost | $135 | $50 | $135 to form, $50 annual report due 15 November |
| New Mexico LLC cost | $50 | $0 | No annual report, no franchise tax |
| Utah LLC cost | $59 | $18 | $18 annual renewal |
| Nevada LLC cost | $425 | $350 | $200 business license every year |
For all 51 jurisdictions side by side, see our full table of LLC cost by state.
How to form a Montana LLC for $0 plus state fees
BusinessAnywhere files your Montana LLC for $0 plus the $35 state fee. The filing comes with a free first year of registered agent service, so your first-year cost is the state fee and nothing else.
- Formation: $0 service fee plus the Montana filing fee.
- Registered agent: free for the first year, then $147 a year.
- EIN application: $97, with no SSN required for non-US founders.
- Compliance reminders: every Montana deadline on this page tracked in your dashboard.
- Virtual mailbox: a US street address with mail scanning, from $20 a month.
Start with our LLC formation service, or read the full guide on how to start an LLC in Montana first.
Montana LLC cost FAQs
How much does an LLC cost in Montana?
A Montana LLC costs $35 to form. The annual report is free when filed by 15 April and $35 when it is late.
Is Montana the cheapest state to form an LLC?
Yes. Montana’s $35 formation fee is the lowest of the 50 states and Washington DC. Arkansas is next at $45 online.
When is the Montana annual report due?
Between 1 January and 15 April every year, starting the year after the LLC is formed.
What happens if I file the Montana annual report late?
The fee becomes $35. An LLC that has not filed for 140 days can be involuntarily dissolved, and reinstatement costs $35 plus $35 for each delinquent year.
Does Montana charge franchise tax on LLCs?
No. Montana has no franchise tax or minimum tax on LLCs. Members report pass-through profit on their Montana individual income tax returns.
How much does a Montana LLC cost over three years?
At the minimum, $35 in state fees, all paid at formation, provided every annual report is filed by 15 April. With a commercial registered agent from year two at $147 a year, the total is $329.
Sources
- Montana Secretary of State, business fees
- Montana Code Annotated, 35-8-209 (involuntary dissolution)
- Montana Department of Revenue, individual income tax
Fees change. Every figure on this page was checked against the official source in October 2026. Confirm the current amount with the Montana Secretary of State before you file.
